The present invention relates to conducting polymers and their use as electrodes in various devices, and, in particular, to polymers resulting from electropolymerization of novel aniline-thiophene monomers.
The electrical conductivity (.sigma.) of most organic materials at room temperature is quite small (.sigma.&lt;10.sup.-10 ohm.sup.-1 cm.sup.-1). Over the last two decades, the synthesis of organic molecules with electrical properties approaching those of metals have been the focus of considerable attention. Because organic polymers generally have elasticity, strength and plasticity, they offer significant advantages over non-polymeric materials in the manufacture of electronic materials. Macromolecular substances can now be tailored to perform as semiconductors or even as true organic metals.
The field of organic metals is dominated by two types of molecular structures: linearly conjugated .pi.-systems and charge-transfer complexes which form stacks of .pi.-systems in the solid state. In the former systems, electrons move rapidly along a partially oxidized or reduced molecular chain. Examples of linear .pi.-conjugated systems are polypyroles, polythiophenes, polyanilines, polyacetylenes and polyarylenes. In charge-transfer complexes, electrons move along a partially oxidized or reduced stack molecules. In either case, the electrical, optical and magnetic properties are a complex function of the solid state structure, and efforts have been made to prepare and study model compounds for these systems, primarily in solution.
Among the families of organic synthetic metals, poly(thiophene) (PTh) and polyaniline (PANI) a nd their derivatives may be the most extensively prepared and studied systems in recent years. While the former, as a whole, has generally higher p-doped conductivity, the latter enjoys a better temporal stability with respect to conductive properties at ambient conditions.
We have synthesized new electro-active monomers, as well as polymers therefrom, comprising thiophene and aniline units linked by a direct C--C bond.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide new polymers.
Other objects, aspects and advantages of the present invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art from a reading of the following detailed disclosure of the invention.